The Boy From Next Door
by peanutbutterjelly-pie
Summary: [Dean/Cas AU] - "Dean meets the boy from next door for the first time when he's ten years old."


**THE BOY FROM NEXT DOOR**

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 **Content:** _"Dean meets the boy from next door for the first time when he's ten years old."_

 **Tags:** Alternate Universe, Fluff, Growing Up Together, Friends to Lovers

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 **Author's Note:** Something fluffy and warm for the cold winter time :D

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Dean meets the boy from next door for the first time when he's ten years old.

The Novak family just moved into the house right next to theirs and introduced themselves on a cloudy Sunday morning to the whole neighborhood. In addition to the parents there are a lot of kids, the loudest of them all an hyperactive menace named Gabriel, and so Dean has a hard time at first to register the blue-eyed boy in the background. Dean would probably have missed him entirely and continued with his life without knowing about the boy's existence, but then his mother shoves him forward and introduces him as Castiel, ruffling his already messy hair, before going on to the next child.

Dean, however, finds himself staring at this boy with the strange name.

And for some reason he's unable to stop.

He dreams about stunning blue eyes that night. And the weeks that followed.

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Dean first speaks to the boy from next door about a month later.

Castiel appears on their doorstep, all alone this time, and fidgets awkwardly, like he'd rather be anywhere else. But instead of bolting he eventually asks, "Do you maybe have some sugar I could borrow?"

He avoids Dean's gaze, as if he's asking for something super embarrassing, and his cheeks start to flush.

Dean's heart makes a weird jump at the sight.

"Sugar?" he asks dumbly. It sounds so ridiculously neighborly that Dean can't help wondering if that boy is for real.

Castiel, in the meantime, nods in confirmation. "It's for a pie."

Dean listens up instantly. "Your mom is making a pie?" He knows he sounds way too eager, but he's helpless if there is pie involved.

Castiel, though, frowns. "No," he says. " _I'm_ baking a pie."

Dean is frozen on the spot for longer than socially acceptable, just staring at the boy in front of him and desperately trying to wrap his head around Castiel's words.

Eventually he asks, "Wait, the pie your mom brought over the other day …?"

"One of mine," Castiel declares.

Dean's eyes go wide. That pie had been _absolutely delicious_. The crust, the filling – undeniable perfection! He daydreamed about this pie for weeksafter.

The best Dean ever had, by far.

So there is only one thing left for Dean to say, "Cas, I'm gonna marry you someday."

Castiel blinks a few times, looking at the boy in front of him with the most astounded expression, obviously highly confused by both the spontaneous marriage proposal as well as the nickname. "What?"

But Dean just grins at him before turning around and asking his mother if they could spare some sugar.

Just a couple hours later that day Castiel appears on their doorstep once again, squirming uncomfortably, and presents one slice of his freshly baked pie. It's cherry this time and it smells even more heavenly than the last.

Dean never thought that might be possible.

He takes the offered plate, flashing Castiel a megawatt smile, and announces excitedly, "Yeah, I'm _definitely_ gonna marry you someday!"

Castiel bites his bottom lip and shakes his head. "You're very strange."

But his lips twitch upwards and he almost looks fond.

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Dean gets his first compliment by the boy from next door a week later.

"I like your shirt," Castiel says. "It meshes well with your pretty eyes."

Then he runs off.

And Dean can't help the pleasant tingling in his belly for the next few days.

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Dean becomes friends with the boy from next door soon after.

"Wanna be friends?" he asks one day when he spots Castiel in his backyard, sitting in a comfy chair and reading a book that actually appears way too advanced for a ten-year-old.

Castiel looks up from the text in front of him, frowning. "Why?"

He seems genuinely confused.

And Dean wonders what happened in his past that he reacts so bewildered by someone offering him friendship.

So Dean offers him a wide smile and answers, "You are weird and funny. And you have pretty eyes, too."

Castiel simply gapes at him, obviously not really sure what to say.

" _Very_ pretty eyes," Dean emphasizes, smirking.

Castiel's cheeks start to tinge pink at those words and he hastily ducks his head, trying to hide his body reaction. "Uh, alright. We can be friends if you want."

Dean beams. "Awesome."

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Dean and the boy from next door become thick as thieves over the years.

They share classes and teachers as well as books and clothes. At some point Dean isn't even sure if the pants he's wearing that specific day are his or Castiel's and he can't help the pleased feeling somewhere deep inside thinking about that. They spend almost all their time together, mostly talking (Castiel loves to rant about almost anything, switching between the bee population and the current political situation in Russia in the blink of an eye) and playing and taking care of Sammy, and Dean wouldn't want it any other way.

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Dean calls the boy from next door his "best friend" on a rainy Thursday not long after.

Castiel is so stunned by that term that he stays quiet for over an hour and doesn't even complain about Dean rambling about cars for that period of time.

But eventually he starts to smile faintly and whispers timidly that Dean is his best friend, too.

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Dean gets his first kiss from the boy from next door on his twelfth birthday.

Castiel appears on their doorstep early in the morning, about half an hour before they actually have to get themselves ready to go to school, and smiles shyly at Dean. "Happy birthday," he say quietly and leans forward, pressing his surprisingly soft and warm lips onto Dean's cheek.

And then he runs off.

Like he always tends to do when he's afraid of his friend's reaction.

And for the rest of the day Dean finds himself flushing whenever he looks at Castiel.

It's the best birthday he's ever had.

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Dean kisses the boy from next door back the first time two weeks later.

Castiel is upset about his father leaving, once again going on a business trip which seem to become longer and longer everytime he exits the house, and Dean just pulls Castiel into a hug, presses a kiss on his forehead and tells him that everything will be alright.

They stay that way for a very long time.

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Dean realizes the first time that his feelings for the boy from next door aren't exactly platonic when he's fourteen years old.

Day in and day out he listens to the boys in his class talking about the cute girls in their year and he never finds the energy to jump into those conversations. On the contrary, at some point, when Russell Mitchell once again prates about Linda Perkin's perfect smile and Caroline Smith's beautiful eyes, Dean finds himself inevitably thinking, _"Cas is way cuter than any of these girls"_.

And then it hits him.

Oh.

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Dean kisses the boy from next door on the lips for the very first time when they're both fifteen years old.

It's a game of spin-the-bottle and Dean feels ridiculous the whole time, pecking girls and a few boys while everyone else is giggling and laughing, but as soon as the bottle points at Castiel, Dean's heart suddenly comes to a screeching halt and time freezes.

He just looks into those gorgeous eyes and feels how every single muscle in his body refuses their services. He keeps absolutely motionless and simply _stares_.

He's aware that everyone is looking at him – expectant, impatient – and that the whole thing shouldn't be a big deal after locking lips with the better part of the present crowd just moments ago, but he can't help himself.

It's _Cas_.

Everything is different with him.

Castiel eventually rolls his eyes at Dean's reserve and takes actions. He bends forward, obviously not at all held back by the same thoughts and doubts as his friend, and kisses him like it's the most normal thing in the world.

It's brief and fairly chaste, probably even more innocent than some of the other kisses Dean just had, but nonetheless Dean's toes curl inwards and his brain short-circuits.

He feels warm and safe and at the same time his whole body is freaking out and demanding _more more more_.

Dean would have never, not in a million years, anticipated such a strong reaction. He's actually got no idea how to deal with this.

Vaguely he registers the game continuing, but apart from Castiel everything is a blur to Dean. He can't stop looking, can't stop his mind going to places he never really allowed himself to go before.

And Castiel … well, he doesn't seem able to avert his gaze as well.

His eyes are filled with something so meaningful that it sparks an unknown hope inside Dean.

And it takes him about twenty minutes to realize that their friends kept on with their game and apparently decided somewhere along the way not to include either of them again.

Undoubtedly they consider both of them lost causes.

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Dean kisses the boy from next door for the second time just later that night.

And for the third time.

And the fourth.

At some point Dean loses count, way too engrossed in Castiel's body pressed against his and his lips, so soft and hot, slowly and methodically wrecking Dean's head.

It takes them both a really long while until they finally are capable of pulling away from each other and finding their ways home. Dean misses his curfew in a quite spectacular manner and gets grounded for two weeks.

So worth it.

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Dean asks the boy from next door to be his boyfriend just the next day.

He blushes quite fiercely doing so, fidgeting nervously and panicking whether he's rushing things by skipping right to the committed relationship status without going on a few dates first –

But Castiel merely smiles at him, all affectionate, kisses him gently and whispers, "I would love to be your boyfriend."

And the blush that spreads itself over Castiel's cheeks after saying those words is most likely the best thing Dean ever saw in his life.

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Dean announces the change of his relationship with the boy from next door to their families just a weekend later at the big neighborhood barbecue.

No one is surprised.

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Dean first confesses his love to the boy from next door on a sunny Thursday in May.

It's not a special day by any means, just plain ordinary with school, homework and baseball practice. It's in no way any different than the day before.

But for some reason, when Dean finds himself sitting on the back porch right next to Castiel, he hears himself saying, "I love you."

Castiel looks up from the English report in his hands and blinks at Dean, probably considering if he heard him correctly. He tilts his head to one side, studying his boyfriend intently.

And in the end he smiles.

"I love you, too," he says warmly and links his fingers with Dean's. "Very much."

From that moment on they make sure to say these words to each other every single day.

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Dean kisses the boy from next door publicly for the first time after they win an important baseball game.

Dean doesn't even think about it, he simply runs toward Castiel as soon as it's over, lifts him up into the air before connecting their lips in a deep kiss.

He only realizes what he has done when he eventually takes a look around and notices everyone staring at them.

Again, no one seems surprised.

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Dean gets quite intimate and physical with the boy from next door for the first time a couple of months before their graduation.

It's everything he's ever dreamed of and more.

It's passion and tenderness and gentle explorations of each other's bodies. It's losing themselves in the other one's eyes and touches.

Dean isn't aware of anything going on around him besides Castiel. There is nothing more important, nothing more precious than this beautiful boy, this beautiful man, in his arms.

Afterwards, when they lie next to each other, panting and grinning, Castiel states, "We should do this more often."

Dean can't help himself, he bursts out laughing. He's quite sure, he never loved Castiel more.

"Yeah, we should do this way more often," he agrees. "All the time, to be precise."

Castiel chuckles and drops a kiss on Dean's naked shoulder. "I'm open for that."

Dean pulls him closer and feels something very warm and comfortable pressing within his chest. It feels like forever.

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Dean says goodbye to the boy from next door a couple of weeks after their graduation.

Of course Castiel got accepted into one of the top colleges and nobody has been prouder than Dean, but at the same time it means separation since Castiel will live two states away from him for the next few years, and that sucks.

Majorly.

Dean dreaded the moment, however, he never would have stood for Castiel missing this opportunity because of him. Yes, it will be hard and awful, but that's life.

"I'll come over as often as possible," Castiel promises at their last night before his departure. "I will call, I will text, I will even send you silly selfie pictures if you want me to."

Dean runs his finger through Castiel's hair. "I want _all_ the silly selfie pictures."

When Castiel responds with a tight smile Dean kisses him softly. "It's gonna be amazing, just wait and see! We'll both rock college and everyone will be jealous of us being so stupidly in love that you can feel it even over a two states distance."

Castiel chuckles at that. "You're a very ridiculous man, Dean Winchester."

Dean beams at him. "And I'm _your_ ridiculous man, Castiel Novak."

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Dean misses the boy from next door (or more like, the _former_ boy from next door) terribly the years that follow.

It's been harder than he ever could anticipate, living in different states, only seeing each other on every other weekend and the holidays, always missing the other person's presence. Dean feels like he would go mad more than once, driving everyone around him crazy with all the moping and pining. He's quite aware that he hasn't been the most pleasant company more often than not and his classmates are always grateful when Castiel comes around for a visit and Dean suddenly turns into a happy and excited ray of sunshine.

Sadly it doesn't happen as often as he would have liked.

So yes, it's hard.

But in the end it's totally worth it.

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Dean moves in with the former boy from next door merely days after they graduated from college.

They have planning this for months – _years_ even, if he's completely honest – and the second they got their opportunity they seized it and never let go. They have spent too much time apart already and they don't want to miss one single minute anymore.

The first couple of weeks they barely even leave the bedroom.

 _Their_ bedroom.

In _their_ apartment.

It's perfect.

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Dean proposes to the former boy from next door about five months after they moved in together.

He still feels like a giddy teenager coming home and finding Castiel in the kitchen, preparing dinner and cursing the malfunctioning oven. It's like a dream come true having him by side _all the time_.

The thought alone makes him smile on a regular basis.

Like everything else in his life that involves Castiel.

So it's only logical that Dean finds himself buying a ring one day.

"Remember when we were ten years old and I told you I'd marry you someday?" Dean asks a few nights later.

They're sitting on the couch, tangled around each other underneath a blanket, and watching some TV. It's simple, it's ordinary and Dean wants this for the rest of their lives.

Castiel chuckles at the memory. "Yes, I remember. You practically drooled on my pie."

Dean presses a kiss to his boyfriend's temple. "It wasn't only the pie I had eyes for."

"I know," Castiel says, his voice fond. "It's like it's been yesterday. And I recall thinking that I wouldn't have minded marrying you back then." He smiles at Dean. "I could never resist those pretty eyes of yours."

Dean licks his lips, feeling anxiety gripping at his nerves. "What about now?"

Castiel huffs a laugh like this is the most ridiculous question he's ever heard. "I _still_ can't resist your pretty eyes, you know that. _And_ your freckles, for that matter."

"No, I meant -" Dean wants to gaze deep into Castiel's irises, make the whole thing super intense and romantic, but instead he lowers his head because he's never been good at confronting his feelings. "Would you still not mind? Marrying me?"

He pulls the the ring out of his pocket and shows it to Castiel, a simple silver band with tons of promises attached to it.

Dean expected surprise after this. Stunned silence. A slack jaw. Eyes big and wide and full of disbelief.

But in reality Castiel doesn't even hesitate _a freaking millisecond_ before wrapping his arms around Dean's neck and climbing onto his lap. "I wouldn't mind," he answers, his voice heavy with emotion. "I wouldn't mind, I wouldn't mind …"

And between kisses and Castiel whispering _yes, yes, yes_ over and over again at his lips, Dean eventually finds the opportunity to radiate like the sun itself.

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Dean tells their respective families about their engagement a week later.

Once again, no one is surprised.

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Dean marries the former boy from next door – his best friend, his partner in crime, the love of his life – exactly fifteen years after he first saw those piercing baby blues.

And of course there is pie at the wedding.

 _Lots and lots_ of delicious smelling pie.

But the whole time Dean barely spares a glance at them. He only has eyes for his gorgeous husband.

Castiel Winchester.

It really has a nice ring to it.

And Dean recalls the young boy he once was, so in love, already imagining forever with the beautiful boy from next door, and can't help thinking, _"Kid, you did it!"_


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